The Brussels Court of Appeal has ruled that DIGI installed parts of its fixed Internet network in Brussels without the necessary permits.
The court also stated that the telecom provider must stop offering services through the unlicensed infrastructure.
The ruling upholds a previous verdict from last year in a case filed by rival provider Proximus.
DIGI was found to have violated regulations by suspending cables across streets without obtaining the required urban planning permits. As a result, it was prohibited from serving customers via infrastructure that was installed without compliance.
To enforce the ruling, the court maintained a penalty of €3,000 per infraction, capped at a maximum of €1.5 million.
DIGI CEO Jeroen Degadt said the company will review the court’s decision. He assured customers that service disruptions were unlikely, as the network has since been regularised.
Proximus welcomed the verdict, emphasising that licensing, safety, and signalling requirements for fibre-optic deployment in Brussels are non-negotiable. The company stressed the importance of compliance to ensure fair, uninterrupted competition.
DIGI, which currently operates its fibre-optic network in only a few locations in Belgium, is prioritising expansion in Brussels, according to Degadt.
